President Murmu Authorizes Prosecution of Lalu Prasad in Railways Land-For-Jobs Money Laundering Case

President Droupadi Murmu has officially sanctioned the prosecution of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged railways land-for-jobs scam.

The presidential authorization allows for Lalu Prasad to be prosecuted under section 197(1) of the Criminal Penal Code (Section 218 of BNSS, 2023). A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Delhi has already acknowledged the chargesheets filed against the former Railways Minister and his associates in this matter.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated the case in 2022 by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against Lalu Prasad, alleging corrupt practices during his tenure as Railways Minister from 2004 to 2009. He stands accused of providing employment to Group D candidates in the Indian Railways in exchange for land parcels transferred as bribes. These properties were reportedly registered directly or indirectly under the names of Lalu Prasad's family members.

Following the CBI's filing of three chargesheets, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched its own investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED subsequently filed chargesheets against Lalu Prasad, his son Tejashwi Yadav, and other family members in August 2024. An earlier chargesheet was filed in January 2024 against his wife Rabri Devi, daughter Hema Yadav, other family members, and associate Amit Katyal, along with two companies allegedly connected to the case: AK Infosystems Private Limited and A B Exports Pvt Ltd.

In March, Lalu Prasad and his family members underwent approximately four hours of questioning by the ED regarding this case.

Responding to the development, his son Tejashwi Yadav, former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, told PTI: "The more we are harassed, the stronger we shall become. Of course, the case is politically motivated. Had I not been in politics, I would not have been dragged into this. I had predicted after the Delhi assembly elections that now the agencies will turn their gaze towards Bihar."